Knights close final doors, chapter on York Co. stadium

Monday afternoon, the Charlotte Knights officially vacated the York County ballpark they have called home for the last quarter century.

The team’s lease of the Fort Mill site ends today as the finishing touches are underway at the new BB&T Ballpark in uptown Charlotte. Knights General Manager Dan Rajkowski said the park is about 95 percent complete, with the digital scoreboard and video screens coming the first week in January.

Between now and February, the team staff is working out of temporary offices in uptown Charlotte. A Certificate of Occupancy is expected in January.

As Rajkowski locked the front doors to the stadium for the final time Monday, he reflected on the team’s history in South Carolina.

“We’re proud of what we were able to accomplish…there are a lot of memories that have been made at this ballpark,” Rajkowski said.

The team’s lease with York County ends December 31 and the new buyer of the property — Charlotte-based Cato Corporation — plans to raze the site to make way for a new mixed-use development.